Sharp takes shot at breaking down Big Bill

Before the Detroit Lions fired Matt Millen today, Drew Sharp wrote a pretty impressive piece about William Clay Ford. It talks about some of the things that have shaped his character, and how son and Lions vice chairman Bill Ford, Jr's comments from Monday were really a jab at his father rather than Millen. Click the link to check out the whole article.

Detroit Free Press, September 24: Ford Jr.'s comments that he'd fire Millen if he had the authority reflected his irritation in having no input in decision-making with the Lions. Even though Junior is vice chairman of the team, he's nothing more than an administrative figurehead -- unheard of for an heir apparent.

So it wasn't a slam at Millen as much as it was a dig at Daddy.

There's disturbing irony in all this. It greatly bothered Ford Sr. in his younger adult days that nobody ever listened to his thoughts regarding the family business. And here he is now, basically canceling out his son's perspective regarding the Lions' continued difficulties.

And that speaks to Ford Sr.'s deafness to criticism, even after Junior curried favor with frustrated fans while making his father a laughingstock by openly questioning his competence as owner.

How did this man get to this point of isolation?

Former Ford Motor Co. president Lee Iacocca said in a newspaper interview five years ago that he got along much better with the easygoing Bill Ford than his more domineering older brother, Henry Ford II -- the man who fired Iacocca -- because Bill accepted loyalty at face value. He didn't seek any hidden meaning to one's allegiance.

That perfectly describes Ford's organizational blueprint during his 44 years as owner of the Lions.

There's an adage that the boss should keep his friends close and his enemies even closer.